This magnificent Dumnocoveros gold stater was found by a female detectorist near Darlington, Co Durham. It is a scarce coin, deeply engraved on both sides, with most of its imposing inscription, VOLISIOS DVMNOCOVEROS, clearly visible. And see those 'laurel wreath leaves' on the obverse; they are so boldy struck and so rectangular that they look more like two rows of bricks. This is a big coin whose generous flan gives a good showing of the two-line patronymic on the obverse and the open-headed horse on the reverse. Note the pellet-triad under its head - three was a magic number for the druid-revering Corieltavi. Note too our new spelling of the tribal name (now lacking the familiar 'u' bringing it into line with the latest scholarship). Corieltavi is thought to mean 'army of many rivers' and Volisios is generally reckoned to be the father of Dumnocoveros. He also apparently sired Dumnovellaunos, whose gold staters are virtually identical to this one, and Cartivellaunos, whose coins are incredibly rare (the husband of the finder once found a fragment of a Cartivellaunos silver unit). Chris Rudd November List 9.10.06